# Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Airway Inflammation and Platelet Activation in Asthma

> **NIH NIH K23** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $194,995

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Despite the high prevalence of metabolic dysregulation among patients with asthma, precise mechanisms
driving airway inflammation in this population are not well-established. Glucocorticoids are a mainstay of
treatment for asthma but damage metabolic control, increasing morbidity, and driving healthcare costs.
Therefore, there is an urgent, unmet need to understand the role of metabolic pathways in asthma and the
effect of targeted therapies. This proposal aims to meet that need by examining the effects of targeting the
glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) metabolic pathway in patients with asthma and metabolic
dysregulation. Increasing evidence supports that GLP-1R agonist (GLP-1RA) drugs reduce airway
inflammation. Preliminary preclinical data also support that GLP-1RAs reduce platelet activation and mediator
release, and clinically, GLP-1RAs decrease adverse cardiovascular events. Platelets are a shared source of
pro-inflammatory mediators in airway and metabolic disease not addressed by current asthma therapies.
Therefore, this proposal aims to test the hypothesis that augmenting the GLP-1 pathway with GLP-1RA
therapy impacts clinical asthma outcomes, mediated by platelet inflammation. The long-term objective is to
expand therapeutic options for patients in need of glucocorticoid-sparing interventions. Specifically, the
proposed aims will 1) evaluate the impact of platelet activation on asthma exacerbations in patients with
asthma and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) using an electronic health record-linked Biobank; 2) prospectively
examine the effect of GLP-1RA initiation on clinical measures of airway inflammation in patients with asthma
and T2DM receiving routine outpatient diabetes care; and 3) determine the impact of baseline platelet
activation on clinical response to GLP-1RA treatment in patients with asthma and obesity, leveraging data from
a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial by our collaborator Dr. Katherine Cahill. These aims directly align
with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s core scientific mission to support research that improves
asthma treatment options, and additionally address the health consequences of the increasing prevalence of
T2DM and obesity for the asthma population. The specific aims complement a robust training agenda for the
candidate to prepare for independence and are aligned with rigorous, hands-on coursework in diabetes and
metabolism, clinical study design, biostatistical analysis, and practical bioinformatics methods for clinical
research, within the exceptional scientific environment at the Mass General Brigham health system and
Harvard Medical School. Dr. Foer’s primary mentor, Dr. Joshua Boyce and co-mentor, Dr. Elizabeth Karlson,
provide harmonized content and methodology expertise for the candidate to facilitate her professional
development and research goals. A scientific advisory committee composed of experts in Pulmonology,
Endocrinology, and General Int...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10523701
- **Project number:** 1K23HL161332-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Dinah Foer
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $194,995
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10523701

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10523701, Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Airway Inflammation and Platelet Activation in Asthma (1K23HL161332-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10523701. Licensed CC0.

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